Fred’s Health Tip of the Day

I know that I haven’t been as frequent as I should have with these, but I hope that what I am posting is helpful to everyone!

Home Remedies…

We all have gotten a home remedy from an older relative from time to time that worked wonders to help heal our ailments. Here are a few that may help you out!

Did you know that yogurt can help cure bad breath? No? I didn’t either. The live cultures in the yogurt have a neutralizing effect on the acid that lurks between your mouth and stomach. Eating yogurt regularly can help kill that odor! This is a cheap fix; you can get single cups of yogurt at the local grocery store for about $.75/cup. That price is unbeatable for such a healthy/tasty mid-day treat.

Have you ever had some annoying hand warts that you just couldn’t get to go away? Well, about a decade ago, researchers concluded that putting duct tape on warts was more successful than freezing them with liquid nitrogen (and way cheaper). Although they had no real explanation for this, the most logical was that the chemicals in the duct tape attach the wart enough for the body to send immune cells to attack the foreign objects. Wow who would’ve thunk it!

Soothe irritated skin with oats. It’s true; oats have long had anti-inflammatory properties. Next time you’re feeling itchy due to allergies, eczema or another skin condition, load up the affected area with a solution of warm water and finely ground oatmeal and soak for 15 minutes. Not only will it reduce the inflammation, but oats are also thought to lower histamine levels, those naughty things that cause allergies.

Olives can fight off nausea. Nausea can often be accompanied by vomiting, so when your body starts feeling a little sick, it increases its saliva production to help protect the teeth and mouth from the acidic contents of your stomach. Allegedly, olives contain tannins (those little critters also found in red wine that suck the moisture out of your mouth) and they work to dry out your mouth, helping to stave off nausea.

Pencil biting relieves headaches. Doctors aren’t really sure why we do it, but when we’re stressed, we tend to clench our teeth in response, which can cause a tension headache. When we clench our jaws, we strain the muscles attached to the temples and boom: a headache is born. Next time you’re feeling stressed, reach for a pencil and gently place it between your teeth. Don’t bite down, simply allow the jaw muscles to relax for a few minutes, thereby relieving tension and reducing your pain.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these, or post about others that you think can help others.